


Penance: Mentality

by agentM40



Series: Penance [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Mental Instability, Original Character(s), Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-25
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-28 07:20:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20774693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentM40/pseuds/agentM40
Summary: Bary is hired as the camp counselor for a rehabilitation camp for criminals.  He finds himself coming face to face with someone he already knows and really did not expect to see.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story gets darker as it goes

June 6, 2016, 12:30 PM

To say that Bary was excited would be an understatement. Frankly, he was downright ecstatic. He was, however, clever enough to know to keep his composure. This was to be the first day of his first job as a licensed therapist, and he was, in a way, jumping in head-first into his career path by taking it. It was important to try to stay calm. If he didn’t, he might get flooded with the work he should have been doing instead of staying in his own head. This was a big deal, and he  **needed** to succeed in order for his career to take off. 

He just had to finish up signing a few papers, then he could get all the files he needed on the campers.  _ Yes… ‘campers.’ That’s a good alternative word _ . He’d rather not use the other one, and ‘campers’ wasn’t technically  **incorrect** either.

“I usually don’t warn people I’m trying to hire against the job I’m trying to hire them for,” the woman across the desk said, “but to be frank we’ve already had 6 people quit this position. Some really optimistic people too…” she trailed off.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’m pretty used to dealing with some pretty difficult people. Besides, I notice that the more optimistic a person is, the more delusional they tend to be. Expecting things to just work out exactly how they think it will. I very much expect a challenge.” She seemed satisfied with that response.

“Alright then, sir. Here’s the files for the campers, in alphabetical order, as well as the rest of the papers you need to sign,” she said, shifting to a brighter tone and demeanor, while handing him a stack of papers. “**Don’t** look at any of the files until you’ve finished signing.”

“Of course not.” He took the stack of paper. “Do you have a pen?” He signed the rest of the papers in the office, and was led to his tent to read the files on the campers, with the information that he had 20 minutes before he needed to do his daily session. Honestly that was on him for arriving so late in the day.

Five minutes before one o’clock  — which was the set time for the group therapies that would be taking place every day, a thought that very much excited him — the woman who was now his boss came to get him for said set appointment.

“Did you read through all the files,” asked the woman. His boss!

“Yeah- well I was reading them, but I didn’t finish,” he answered. 

“Alright then. Good. Make sure to have read the rest of them by the next 24 hours. They  **will** come in handy, but maybe not on the first day. Hopefully not.”

At this point they’d reached where the sessions were going to take place every day. It was a tent with a V written on a sign above the door.  _ Let’s do this _ .


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bary finds Magna here

June 6, 1:00 PM (13:00)  
  
The tent was nothing to gawk at. It was no more than a base made of metal poles with a layer of, what was probably linen, draped over top of it. In the center of the tent was the first group he would have a session with. His excitement turned into nervousness. He tried to console himself with the knowledge that this was the first group, and even if it went badly, at least he would have some idea of how to fix it in his next sessions.  
  
It grew increasingly difficult to keep calm with this comfort alone as his mind drifted to the permanency of first impressions. Walking over to the group felt like trying to walk through a sea of maple syrup, using a straw as a snorkel. He couldn’t let it show. His breathing seemed to echo off of everything, and his heart was beating so loudly he wouldn’t be surprised if anyone, if not everyone, could hear it. Sitting down he was vaguely aware of being introduced, and finally pulled himself out of his dread when he heard a laugh.  
  
Someone was laughing. He was able to take in his surroundings. A girl with her head thrown back was absolutely losing it. The sound made it easy to direct his focus on it, rather than himself. After clearing his head enough he was able to quickly regain his thoughts and recognized how his boss had introduced him. It was very generic and he could not think of a reason why she would be laughing. Maybe she saw his panic.  
  
The laughing only lasted maybe 5 seconds, but Bary’s mind had been racing after the panic. After the five seconds she let her head fall forward and down as she slowed her breathing and calmed down in a hum. Slowly she looked and up to this point Bary’s mind had still been racing, but as soon as he saw her face his mind seemed to stop altogether. Magna?  
  
“Hey Bary,” she said, her voice laced with mocking undertones. “Here to atone for your sins?”  
  
He managed to let out a croaky, “What?” Minutes seemed to pass until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He was surprised he didn’t flinch, but was so glad to find he’d only tensed.  
“You two know each other,” his boss was asking. Looking over at her, as she left her hand on his shoulder he answered.  
  
“She’s my sister.”  
  
“Oh!” She paused looking baffled. “But you don’t- I-I mean you’re- You don’t-”  
  
“We’re both adopted,” Magna cut in. “And yes, I’m white and he’s black. You can just say it. There’s nobody here who couldn’t figure out what you were thinking anyway.” Bary tried to give her the best stern face he could, through his shocked emotions. He needed to pull himself together. He was no longer looking at his boss, but she heard her make a few frustrated noises, then made some more noises indicating she was trying to calm herself down.  
  
“Is this going to be an issue,” she asked addressing Bary. “Because if this is a problem for you I can pull her out, at least for today.”  
  
“No, it should be fine,” he answered, and he couldn’t keep his voice from wavering, just a little bit.  
  
“Alright. Then I’ll leave you to it.” She walked away and there was a chorus of teasing ”Bye mom”s coming from the boys. Magna, the only girl in the group, remained silent. Her eyes bore into his, and her smirk was challenging. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to accept this challenge. Bary sighed, gaining his composure and self confidence, and was now quite exasperated with Magna.  
  
“What are you doing here,” he asked her.  
  
“I don’t know, Bary,” She answered mockingly, in a silky voice punctuating nearly every word. “Maybe I felt guilty.” He gave her a look. Which look? To be honest, he couldn’t tell you.  
  
“Get off that shit,” one of the boys in the group interrupted. “You’re here for the same reason everybody else is here. You got caught.” Magna rolled her eyes and glared daggers at the boy. Not a squinty glare, but a wide eyed angry stare. ‘Try me bitch,’ the glare growled.  
  
“Magna-” Bary chastised.  
  
“Mags,” she cut him off.  
  
“No,” he sighed, drawing out the word, “I-I don’t think I’m going to be calling you that, no.” She crossed her arms disgruntledly.  
  
“You’re sister,” one of the other campers began, “Is not only the only girl here, but also the youngest?” His question, while clearly a question, was said in a tone of voice that almost sounded like a statement. Actually it sounded like multiple separate statements. Bary didn’t know how to respond, but Magna took it in stride, putting on a large grin and holding up a peace sign up to her tilted face.  
  
“Alright, let’s try to get back on track,” Bary said, shaking off the question completely. “Magna and my relation is not the topic at hand.”  
  
“It should be,” someone piped up followed by a series of laughs, though Bary didn’t catch who said it.  
  
“Did you really not know she was here?” He did catch who said that. It was the kid in the front. He recognized him from a picture in his file. David Overson or something.  
  
A sea of questions followed, and didn’t stop until nearly the end of the session. The entire time he was attempting, and failing, to reel them in and focus on the situation. Why everyone was here to begin with. He never got a word in. Not a word that was listened to or acknowledged. Eventually it was Magna who calmed everyone down, despite the fact that she seemed genuinely amused through the whole thing up to this point. It didn’t matter at that point though, as the session ended in five minutes. Bary let them go early, which they all seemed excited about. As they left he got comments on the side from them about how ‘cool’ and ‘chill’ he was for giving them those extra minutes. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bary tries to find out why Magna's here. Doesn't get many answers.

June 6, 2016, 5:00 PM (17:00)  
Bary didn’t see Magna again until the scheduled dinner. He would have gone looking for a chance to find her and pull her aside from, well, whatever it was these campers did aside from his sessions. Unfortunately he was set to do them from one to five. Straight from then to now. Dinner time. Dinner, and all other meals, was held in the largest tent in the camp, which had a big I above the opening. 

He found her sitting at one of the tables in the middle of the room, and sat across from her. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Her hair was now down, out of the loose ponytail she’d been wearing at the session. Her snakelike gaze seemed to bore into his soul. The way she tilted her head kept the light from reflecting off her eyes, making them appear empty and hollow. Of course, Bary didn’t believe in souls, so these observations didn’t hold much ground for him. It was still unsettling though. When they both finished eating they both sat there for several minutes, Bary trying to avoid eye contact. When he finally opened his mouth with the intent of getting a few questions she cut him off before he could say anything.

“You really want to talk right in the middle of the dining hall? That doesn’t sound like the best idea you’ve ever had.”

“I was going to ask if you’d come outside. We can talk out there.” He was not, in fact, going to ask that. She seemed to know this, giving him a blank stare before eventually sighing and getting up from her seat. He followed her. She lead him over to the edge of the camp, by the side of a tent that was lined with stacks of tires. She stopped abruptly and turned quickly on the heel of her foot.

“So, what?”

“You’re asking me? Magna, what are you doing here?”

“I felt bad. Didn’t I tell you that?” She squinted her eyes as she asked, indicating that she really wasn’t entirely sure whether she had told him or not.

“And to make up for it you came here?”

“Bary, I’m 12. Even if I did think your idea of making up for your mistakes worked, there isn’t really anything I could do at this age.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I decided to do this to make up for it.” She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head.

“So you would have become a therapist anyway?”

“Not… necessarily, but it’s not a ‘making up’ thing as much as I want to try to do better.” She scoffed.

“Well, whatever it is, it’s even more of a pathetic attempt than Harley and Lium becoming cops.”

“This is… more my speed.”

“Since when are you lazy?”

“Since I wasn’t forced to be active.” Her former annoyed expression seemed to melt off of her face and she smirked.

“Ah, fair enough. Not here though. These guys’ll have you running for the hills.” She turned and started walking away. “I’d lose the tie though.” She added. “It’ll turn into a major inconvenience.” As she   
left, a loud ring pierced through the air. The bell to switch locations. In this case it was the wreck bell. From 6:00 to 8:00 the campers can just relax for a while, while they filter in and out of the few showers. Bary ran to catch up with Magna, pulling her arm to turn her around.

“So you feel guilty? And this is the best way you could think of to make it ok?”

“I can’t make things ‘ok.’ What’s happened has already happened. All I can do is make sure I get what I deserve.”

“So what? You-” He cut himself off and lowered his voice. “You raped someone? Just to feel bad about something you did when you were 6?”

“It’s not just that. And besides, I didn’t do anything to him. He came after me, and I took the opportunity. I set myself up to be accused with attempted rape- Did you even read my file?” Bary stood shocked. Now that it had finally been said out loud it seemed more unreal than anything. Magna was always weird, but what? What made her come to the conclusion that this was the best course of action? How had the idea even occur to her.

“Guess not,” Magna said, answering her own questions. She turned and Bary let her walk away, as he gaped at her back.

*—*

He tried to find her, to pull her aside and talk more, after he finally gathered his thoughts, but he didn’t have time. He caught a glance at her as she went in her tent to bed, but at that point he thought it was best to leave it. The camp is set up to have everyone wake up at five o’clock in the morning, and he himself was going to want to go to sleep as soon as possible; having not adjusted to the sleep schedule before hand. A naive oversight on his part.

Seeing her before bed was a bit of a shock. He got a pretty good view of her, as she had her own tent— her being the only girl. He was surprised to see her strawberry-blonde hair now let out of her low ponytail, cascading down slightly past her shoulder blades. The last time he’d seen her, before the first session, she had been six, with much shorter hair, that cupped her face. Looking now, if she’d let her hair down for that session, he might not have even recognized her. Thinking back to when she was six it occurred to him that her hair was a few shades lighter too. He’d have to look at her file sometime before he starts sessions tomorrow to see how long she’d been there; wondering if the sun bleached it, or if it naturally started lightening.

Thinking back to even way back when, Magna as always a very cryptic person; saying things that she immediately assumed people just understood, without any context. Her brain always seemed to work differently than most people. If she broke her arm she would probably cut it off just so that she wouldn’t have to deal with a cast for two to four months. He’d have to pull her aside tomorrow to make some things clear.


End file.
